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Camelot who currently hold the license for operating the UK’s National Lottery are set to sign an extension of three months until July 2023.
Delay In Tenders
The Gambling Commission have submitted a letter to Camelot stating the extension of its third license. The launch of the tender for the fourth license had been delayed by three months due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.A spokesperson said, “ We remain focused on continuing to build on the strong performance we have achieved over the last three years and delivering even more money for good causes, funding which is vitally important during this unprecedented time.”The first phase of the new selection for the forth license has not yet been disclosed but it’s looking highly unlikely this will be before August.A Gambling commissions spokesperson commented on the decision“ Having considered the market’s feedback on challenges posed by Covid-19 pandemic, we have decided to delay the launch of the competition by three months. As a Result, the Selection Questionnaire will not be issued before August 2020, and we will review the circumstance up until that point.”The process should have begun in March and driven by newly appointed John Tanner and Andrew Wilson to lead the process. The delays has caused criticism from bidders saying this reduced their chances of a serious challenge with Camelot.
Camelot License Due For Review 2023
Camelot have operated the National Lottery since 1994 and have since secured licenses in 2001 and 2007 with the latter due to expire at the beginning of 2023.Sales of the National Lottery have been on the up for the past few years with Camelot holding the reigns. Sales in 12 months up to March 2020 saw an increase of 9.7% from £7.21. Online digital sales have also seen an increase of 34.0% of £2.46bn compared to the previous year and the first time online sales have ever surpassed the £2b mark.